TBE STRIKE AT SHANE'S. 61 



*'It is good enough," replied Tom ; "don't worry 

 about that ; it will come out all right." 



"But I do worry about it. There is something 

 wrong about it; I can tell it by your actions. Come, 

 out with it. One more misfortune won't kill me after 

 I've gone through what I have." 



"Well, if you must know," s?id Tom, "the corn 

 is not a good stand." 



" Not a good stand? What is the reason?" 



"If you must know about it I might as well tell you 

 all about it. The corn crop is a failure. The worms 

 have taken every stock of it, and it will have to be 

 planted over. Now there ain't any use to worry over 

 it, for Mr. Tracy said that the neighbors would come 

 in and plow up the ground and replant it ; but he was 

 afraid you would not raise much corn there on account 

 .of the worms." 



"Was Tracy's corn destroyed by the worms?" 



' No. " 



"Nor Smith's?" 



"No." 



"Nor anybody's else ? " 



"Nobody's around here." 



"Then fate is agin me, an' I give up the fight," 

 said Shane. 



"Mr. Tracy says there is something peculiar about 

 your corn, an' he says he can't account for it unless it 

 is because there ain't no birds here to take the worms. 

 Mother an' Edie have been talkin' about there bein' no 

 birds here ; but I never noticed it particular till Tracy 



